Bone anchor

Abstract

A bone anchor including an outer sleeve defining slots and an inner sleeve including fins extendable radially outward through the slots to engage surrounding cancellous bone. The outer sleeve includes an outward extending flange disposed about an opening defined by the outer sleeve configured to receive a fastener. The flange can seat against cortical bone around an opening sized for the anchor. The anchor can be a suture anchor including the fastener that engages the inner sleeve when installed therein and pushes the fins outward to engage the cancellous bone as the fastener is installed, better securing the anchor to the bone, particularly where the bone is osteoporotic, weak, broken, diseased, and / or compromised. The outer sleeve can include projections between fins to prevent rotation as the fastener is installed. A related method of using the suture anchor is provided to anchor soft tissue with a suture to bone.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to bone anchors, and more particularly to a bone anchor constructed to sufficiently engage bone that may be weak, soft, osteoporotic or otherwise compromised.[0002]Bone anchors are utilized in numerous surgical procedures to secure certain elements to bone. Some bone anchors are used in arthroscopic and endoscopic surgical procedures to permanently attach a suture to bone tissue. For example, in procedures that require the suturing of soft tissue, such as tendons, ligaments, cartilage or muscle, to bone tissue, a suture typically anchors the soft tissue to the bone using either knotless or knotted technology. Most such suture anchors are constructed to be secured in predrilled holes or tunnels in the bone.[0003]Typically, suture anchors are the form of threaded screws having a head with a loop through which a suture can be threaded. To install the suture anchor, a pilot hole is drilled into the bone tissue. In some cases...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent is for a bone anchor and related method of use that securely attaches soft tissue to bone. The anchor has a fastener and an outer sleeve with slots that allow the fins to move away from the longitudinal axis and engage with surrounding cancellous bone. The anchor can be securely anchored in the bone and minimize the risk of anchor removal post-op. It can also assist with revision surgical procedures and reduce pain and the incidence of repair failure. The technical effects of the patent include improving the efficiency of the physician, reducing recovery time for the patient, and minimizing the number of anchors installed.

Problems solved by technology

In some cases, where a surgeon determines that the pilot hole is not ideally located, another pilot hole may need to be drilled and tapped, which can require additional steps in an already lengthy procedure.

Compromised bone can become more problematic when suture anchors are used in certain procedures.

Although such conventional suture anchors work relatively well, they suffer shortcomings when the surrounding bone is compromised.

Thus, the anchor may not secure well in that hole.

Such complications and inadequate installation of the suture anchors can lead to an inadequate and unstable fixation.

Other times, the suture anchor will be anchored in bone tissue too soft to securely hold the anchor, in which case, the suture anchor can be partially or fully pulled out from the hole and bone after the surgery, leading to failure of the repair construct.

Other issues that can result from unsatisfactory suture anchoring can include a prolonged recovery time, pain in the area of the anchors and in the other cases, the need for a repeat surgery to more adequately connect the repaired tissue to bone.

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